


you and I might just be the best thing

by bobert_drake



Category: Spider-Man (Comicverse)
Genre: M/M, Peter is annoying, Unfinished and unbeta'd sorry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-16
Updated: 2019-03-16
Packaged: 2019-11-19 11:15:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,910
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18135023
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bobert_drake/pseuds/bobert_drake
Summary: It had been a long day - many of them were - and Peter had been crushed by one too many brick walls that more likely than not had jolted a few screws loose. The sun went down an hour or so ago, which meant it was probably time for the kids hiding in his apartment to eat dinner.





	you and I might just be the best thing

**Author's Note:**

> I was just done with staring at this fic for weeks so I decided to post what I had!! It's also completely unedited so please forgive any mistakes oops
> 
> This is set in Issue #2 of Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man (2019)!! It's super cute and everyone should go read it if you liked this!!
> 
> I'm on Twitter @bobert_drake!!

He'd forgotten Johnny was there, if he was being honest.

It had been a long day - many of them were - and Peter had been crushed by one too many brick walls that more likely than not had jolted a few screws loose. The sun went down an hour or so ago, which meant it was probably time for the kids hiding in his apartment to eat dinner. 

'What do they eat? Do they even have to eat?' Peter mused as he swung with purpose between, up, and around his city. On a night like tonight, where it was just chilly enough to make him regret not pulling on an undershirt before he left, the sky was as clear as it got during the winter and the nightlife was just beginning to populate the streets. If he wasn't in such a hurry to make sure the kids hadn't burnt down his building with freaky superhuman abilities he was almost certain they were hiding from him, he probably would have perched atop a building and watched as the lights from the city below switched on, street by street. 

On a night like tonight, where he only broke one rib instead of his usual three, and on top of that had made it out with only minor tears to his suit - which meant less accidental pricks of his fingers with sewing needles tomorrow - Peter thought he deserved to stargaze for a long minute with a painfully-but-deliciously hot slice of pizza from the place on the corner he liked.

But since the universe and his own moral compass forbade him from leaving two children of questionable origin in his apartment with his roommate (who simply had an aversion to most clothing, Peter decided) just a wall away, he put a little more speed into his swings and made it to the roof of his apartment building before he could let himself fantasize.

Peeking over the windowsill, Peter could make out a slim figure doing something wild with their arms and body, followed by two pairs of small orange hands waving and pointing at them. It was only as Peter was sliding open the window and hauling himself inside that he realized Johnny was still in his apartment, and still entertaining the kids. Relief washed over him as he padded over to where the three were laughing loudly, and he peered over Johnny's shoulder. Charades, he read. How wholesome.

"Y'know, I'm not too bad at Charades myself," Peter murmured to Johnny as he stepped away, then winced as his voice came out scratchy. Johnny made up for it by jumping a solid foot in the air and, though he'd never admit it, letting out a small squeak of surprise. The kids seemed to find this hilarious, and giggled loudly when Johnny turned swiftly on his heel to face Peter, mouth agape and cheeks flushed a soft pink.

"You're lucky I didn't just flambé you on the spot, Webs-for-brains. I could've cooked you into a spider-kebab." Always the performer, there was no real heat behind Johnny's threat, which Peter could have figured without the corner of Johnny's mouth ticking upwards. It stung only a little when the kids cracked up again. Jasper leaned against Johnny's leg and laughed so hard he was hiccuping by the end.

There were worse things he could have come home to, Peter reflected as he kneeled down to inspect both children's faces. No cuts, scratches, or bruises that he could see, which meant Johnny did exactly what he was supposed to do: keep them safe from whatever or whoever had happened to Leilani until Peter could figure out how to get them back to where they belonged. There looked to be no damage to his apartment either, so nothing had come to take the children forcibly, either.

Now Johnny Storm, the childcare extraordinaire, stood casually in Peter's apartment looking pleased and overconfident, like he could sense Peter's gratitude from five feet away. Peter wasn't ashamed to say it was a good look on him; the smooth curves of his muscles were made softer by the lamplight and the nearly unnatural glow of his fire-warmed skin. He caught himself matching Johnny's smile as he stood and cracked his back, groaning.

"I think it's time we get you two home," Peter told the kids gently, despite having no clue where to take them. He was a creature of spontaneity anyway. He would figure it out.

\---

Peter wasn't sure if he should have felt pleased that he was right, or concerned that he was right. The kids did have freaky superhuman abilities, or at least Jasper did; he had opened a portal in the middle of Peter's apartment to God-knows-where after he'd suggested they return home. Bidding Peter farewell with a silent nod and matching hugs around Johnny's waist, the kids twined their hands together and fizzled out of sight. 

It all happened so quickly that Peter didn't really have time to ponder the consequences of misplacing two orange children with powers. He still had no clue where Leilani was, but... oh well. 

Johnny sighed from beside him, a gentle breath that spoke to his exhaustion. Taking care of kids had always been his forte, which was pretty much the sole reason Peter had called him, but it had been years since Johnny had spent a couple hours entertaining young ones. He seemed to be content, though, and Peter tugged up his mask to grin at him.

"So," Johnny huffed, leaning his hip against Peter's dresser. His smile, though tired, reached his eyes. Something warm and familiar flickered to life in Peter's chest.

"So. I'm home, Sparky!" Peter spread his arms invitingly, a teasing smile parting his lips. Johnny seemed to hesitate for a beat, but he pushed away from the dresser and wrapped his arms around Peter's waist. It was cute the way Johnny always went low with his hugs, and it meant Peter got to mess up his hair.

"Glad the kids are alright," Peter murmured after a minute of silence between them, letting his fingertips brush over the curls at the base of Johnny's neck. He pulled back and immediately regretted the familiar warmth Johnny emitted.

Johnny huffed a laugh, smoothing his hair back down. "Glad you called me. Who knows what they would have gotten into with you as their babysitter."

"I appreciate your confidence in me, buddy," Peter deadpanned. His gaze softened when Johnny's eyes flicked to his chest, downcast. "Johnny?"

Johnny shook his head minutely and tightened his hands on Peter's waist. "It was just... nice, y'know. Spending time with little ones again."

Oh. A weight settled itself in Peter's chest, a poison to his cheery mood. It had only been a few weeks since Johnny's family had returned from the multiverse, and Peter had experienced firsthand how frustrated Johnny was that he had missed out on a part of Val and Franklin's lives. Peter knew how much they meant to Johnny. What if he had forced Johnny into something he wasn't prepared to deal with yet, emotionally? What if-

"-eter, quit thinking so hard, you're gonna hurt yourself.

 

[Transition blah blah]

 

That warm dream abruptly shattered when Johnny opened his mouth and murmured, "I talked to Fred. He seems nice."

If Peter groaned in disgust or disappointment when his brain caught up with his ears, he wouldn't admit it, but the pit in his stomach spoke to what he was feeling. He could just picture it: Johnny innocently opening Peter's bedroom door with a child hanging off of each arm, only to get an eyeful of Peter's roommate in nothing but a set of dirty headphones and a skimpy piece of underwear.

As for the reason Peter even owned something like that, he occasionally needed something small to wear underneath his spandex. He didn't just wear them for fun, and certainly not in the company of a total of two complete strangers by the end of tonight. Certainly not in Johnny's company.

Peter broke out of his thoughts as Johnny pulled away from him, but kept his warm hands at Peter's waist. The smile that played at his lips was teasing, and oh, that look had never spelled anything good for Peter.

"You wanna tell me why a mostly-naked guy is lounging around your apartment? In your underwear?"

"Roommate," Peter croaked, feeling a little sick. He blinked suddenly. "How did you know those were mine?"

Johnny snickered at that, tipping his head to the side. "I've raided your closet enough nights when I slept over. I know what you own." His eyes glittered with something Peter couldn't identify when he looked up. "I've never seen you in them, though."

It was an old game, the flirting between them, and boy did they love to play. "Is that right?" Peter murmured, catching Johnny by the waist. "Did you want to-"

"DAMN IT!" came an enraged shout from the other side of the wall, interrupting the wonderfully smooth line Peter was about to give. Johnny startled away from him, abruptly putting space between them. God, he was jumpy tonight. Peter missed him already.

 

[Transition blah blah]

 

Johnny's nimble fingers played with the hem of Peter's mask, making him shiver just a little when they brushed his skin. The flirty tone Johnny had taken with him earlier was back in full force, and he had cranked it up to maximum suave. His hair might have been sparking, but Peter wasn't going to say anything.

"I think Peter Parker owes me a date to make up for babysitting his neighbors tonight." His eyes seemed to pull Peter in deeper with every second he stared into them. There was no denying that Johnny was a beautiful, beautiful man, and that his charm was truly a force to be reckoned with. He was so whipped.

Peter cocked his head and grinned. "Yeah? I could swing out and grab us some takeout from that good place downtown, or maybe order in a pizza- mmh."

Johnny's lips felt as soft as they looked. It was only a brief kiss, one full of promise, but it sent a scathing blush across Peter's face and ears. He probably matched his suit at that point.

"Peter Parker owes me a date," Johnny said pointedly when they pulled apart, fitting his fingers under the mask again and tugging until Peter's eyes were uncovered. He smiled a little, a sweet thing that made Peter's chest ache, and tossed the offending clothing aside. "There you are."

Peter couldn't have helped kissing him if he tried. "I should've made you babysit earlier if this is the thanks I get," Peter muttered between kisses to Johnny's temple and cheeks and jaw. He pressed his face into Johnny's neck and smiled as he felt the vibrations of Johnny's laughter from his chest.

"Are we going out tonight or not, Pete?"

Peter tangled their fingers together. "I don't know, is your schedule cleared for a particularly spidery bachelor?"

"No," Johnny hummed, "but this cute photographer has been catching my eye for a while."

"A while, huh?" And now they were getting into that unspoken thing between them, a conversation more dangerous than most of Peter's villains because he couldn't just punch his way out. "That's, uh, coincidental. I've had my sights set on a certain matchstick for some time, too."

Peter almost laughed when Johnny's smile turned sheepish. 

It would all turn out just fine.

**Author's Note:**

> A couple of things in this fic are taken from canon:
> 
> Peter did call up Johnny in FNSM Issue #2 to have him watch Tierra and Jasper while he went to punch some villains and try to track down Leilani.  
>   
> Peter also was crushed by a brick wall shortly after leaving Johnny with the kids in FNSM Issue #2.  
>   
> Fred Myers, Peter's roommate, did steal his underwear and was wearing it around their apartment for an unspecified amount of time throughout FNSM Issues 1 and 2. Although he was wearing actual clothes by Issue #3 when Johnny first meets him in canon, we don't have to talk about that.


End file.
